The present inventive concepts relate to a dual voltage memory write technique, and more particularly to an adaptive dual voltage write driver with dummy resistive path tracking.
Moreover, the present inventive concepts relate to memory systems for storing information to memory integrated circuits, including static random access memory (SRAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), Flash memory, phase-change random access memory (PCRAM), spin-transfer torque random access memory (STT-RAM), magnetic random access memory (MRAM), resistive random access memory (RRAM), and future memory devices. Inventive aspects described herein are particularly well-suited for memories such as STT-RAM, MRAM and RRAM memories, which exhibit probabilistic-type characteristics and relatively high error rates.
Semiconductor memory devices have been widely used in electronic systems to store data. There are two general types of semiconductor memories: non-volatile and volatile memories. A volatile memory device, such as a Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) or a Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM), loses its data when the power applied to it is turned off. A non-volatile semiconductor memory device, however, such as a Flash, Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory (EPROM) or a magnetic random access memory (MRAM), retains its charge even after the power applied thereto is turned off. Where loss of data due to power failure or termination is unacceptable, a non-volatile memory is therefore used to store the data.
FIG. 1A shows a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) 10, which forms a variable resistor in an STT-MRAM type memory cell, and an associated select transistor 20, together forming an STT-MRAM cell 30. The MTJ 10 includes a reference or pinned layer 12, a free layer 16, and a tunneling layer 14 disposed between the reference layer 12 and the free layer 16. Transistor 20 is often an NMOS transistor due to its inherently higher current drive, lower threshold voltage, and smaller area relative to a PMOS transistor. The fixed current used to write a “1” in MRAM 30 can be different than the fixed current used to write a “0”. The asymmetry in the direction of current flow during these two write conditions is caused by the asymmetry in the gate-to-source voltage of transistor 20.
In the following description, an MRAM cell is defined as being in a logic “0” state when the free and reference layers of its associated MTJ are in a parallel (P) state, i.e., the MTJ exhibits a low resistance. Conversely, an MRAM cell is defined as being in a logic “1” state when the free and reference layers of its associated MTJ are in an anti-parallel (AP) state, i.e., the MTJ exhibits a high resistance. It will be understood that in other embodiments, the MRAM cell can be defined as being in the logic “0” state when in an AP state, and the logic “1” state when in a P state. Furthermore, in the following, it is assumed that the reference layer of the MTJ 10 faces its associated select transistor, as shown in FIG. 1A.
Therefore, in accordance with the discussion above, a current flowing along the direction of arrow 35 (i.e., the up direction) either (i) causes a switch from the P state to the AP state thus to write a “1”, or (ii) stabilizes the previously established AP state of the associated MTJ. Likewise, a current flowing along the direction of arrow 40 (i.e., the down direction) either (i) causes a switch from the AP state to the P state thus to write a “0”, or (ii) stabilizes the previously established P state of the associated MTJ. It is understood, however, that in other embodiments this orientation may be reversed so that the free layer of the MTJ faces its associated select transistor. In such embodiments (not shown), a current flowing along the direction of arrow 35 either (i) causes a switch from the AP state to the P, or (ii) stabilizes the previously established P state of the associated MTJ Likewise, in such embodiments, a current flowing along the direction of arrow 40 either (i) causes a switch from the P state to the AP state, or (ii) stabilizes the previously established AP state.
FIG. 1B is a schematic representation of MRAM 30 of FIG. 1A in which MTJ 10 is shown as a storage element whose resistance varies depending on the data stored therein. The MTJ 10 changes its state (i) from P to AP when the current flows along arrow 35, and/or (ii) from AP to P when the current flows along arrow 40.
The voltage required to switch the MTJ 10 from an AP state to a P state, or vice versa, must exceed the critical switching voltage, Vc0. The current corresponding to this voltage is referred to as the critical or switching current Ic0. While the specified critical value Vc0 and related critical switching current Ic0 can be defined in various ways, such values can be selected based on a 50% switching probability of the memory cell within a specified time. In other words, the critical switching current Ic0 can be selected or otherwise determined based on the design of the MTJ 10 and/or based on measurements of the probability of switching at a particular critical value Vc0 and/or switching current Ic0. When the threshold critical switching current Ic0 is satisfied, there can be a 50% chance that the stored memory bit switches values (e.g., from a “0” to a “1” or a “1” to a “0”). An overdrive current is applied to guarantee that switching occurs at an error rate that is acceptable to meet standard reliability expectations. This overdrive current, or switching current, Isw, may be conventionally fixed at 1.3 times, 1.5 times, 2 times, or more than 2 times the value of Ic0. For example, if the Ic0 for an MTJ device is 7 microamps (uA) at a 20 nanosecond (ns) write pulse width, then the Isw used to reliably switch the states of the MTJ may be conventionally fixed at 11 uA or greater.
In some cases, the “safe” write current (e.g., where the write error rate is less than about 10e-9) may be conventionally fixed at 1.5 to 2 times the critical switching current Ic0 for a certain period of time, for example, 10 nanoseconds. To read the bit value back out of the memory cell, a relatively “safe” read current can be applied (e.g., where the read error rate is less than about 10e-9). For example, the “safe” read current may be 0.2 times (i.e., 20%) of the critical switching current Ic0. By way of another example, if the critical switching current Ic0 is 6 microamps (uA), then the write current under a normal operation mode can be conventionally fixed at 12 uA, or thereabout, and the read current under a normal operating mode can be less than 1.2 uA, or thereabout. In this manner, the probability of the memory cell properly switching under a normal write condition is very high, in some cases near 100%. Similarly, the probability of accidentally switching the value of the memory cell under a normal read condition can be very low, in some cases near zero.
Once in the AP state, removing the applied voltage does not affect the state of the MTJ 10. Likewise, to transition from the AP state to the P state under the normal operating mode, a negative voltage of at least Vc0 is applied so that a current level of at least the switching current Ic0 flows through the memory cell in the opposite direction. Once in the P state, removing the applied voltage does not affect the state of the MTJ 10.
In other words, MTJ 10 can be switched from an anti-parallel state (i.e., high resistance state, or logic “1” state) to a parallel state so as to store a “0” (i.e., low resistance state, or logic “0” state). Assuming that MTJ 10 is initially in a logic “1” or AP state, to store a “0”, under the normal operating mode, a current at least as great or greater than the critical current Ic0 is caused to flow through transistor 20 in the direction of arrow 40. To achieve this, the source node (SL or source line) of transistor 20 is coupled to the ground potential via a resistive path (not shown), a positive voltage is applied to the gate node (WL or wordline) of transistor 20, and a positive voltage is applied to the drain node (BL or bitline) of transistor 20.
As mentioned above, MTJ 10 can also be switched from a parallel state to an anti-parallel state so as to store a “1”. Assuming that MTJ 10 is initially in a logic “0” or P state, to store a “1”, under the normal operating mode, a current at least as great or greater than the critical current Ic0 is caused to flow through transistor 20 in the direction of arrow 35. To achieve this, node SL is supplied with a positive voltage via a resistive path (not shown), node WL is supplied with a positive voltage, and node BL is coupled to the ground potential via a resistive path (not shown).
Unfortunately, conventional write techniques can result in over driving the MTJ, which may result in over voltage that lead to time dependent breakdown. In addition, with STT-RAM or any other type of memory chip, manufacturing processes and chip layout patterns may result in variations in the resistive qualities of memory components. In high density memories, a cell transistor is drawn to a minimum process features size. For example, 6F2 refers to a minimum process feature size (F) of 40 nanometers (nm), which yields a unit cell area of 0.0096 micrometers squared (i.e., μm2). A cell transistor resistance (e.g., RCTR of FIG. 1B) can be very large, e.g., greater than 30 kilohms (kΩ). This dictates MTJ resistance (i.e., RMTJ) to allow robust sensing margin during memory read out. For robust sensing margin with adequate signal to noise ratio, RMTJ should be greater than RCTR, and tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) should be greater than 300%. RMTJ is equal to either RP when in parallel (P) mode or R when in anti-parallel (AP) mode. Conventional approaches for memory writes use a single write voltage source having a fixed voltage level meeting a minimum write voltage requirement (i.e., VMTJ—RP) for RP, which forces the RAP associated voltage (i.e., VMTJ—RAP) to come close to or even exceed the magnesium oxide (MgO) time dependent dielectric breakdown (TDDB) voltage. This may severely limit the write endurance and also impacts overall reliability.
The conventional memory write approaches are therefore inadequate. Inventive concepts disclosed herein address these and other limitations in the prior art.